


Intertwined

by King0fTheFall



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson-centric, Crossover, F/M, Fluff, Hogwarts AU, Hurt/Comfort, Mentor Harry Potter, Minor Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, Percabeth at Hogwarts, Percy & Harry Bonding, Romance, lowkey idk what im doing, percabeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28186587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/King0fTheFall/pseuds/King0fTheFall
Summary: Time slows down whenever you're around. But can you feel this magic in the air?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 44
Kudos: 78





	Intertwined

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to one of my best friends. Happy Birthday, Apa! I love you so much! Thank you for always being there for me 💛
> 
> Thank you to the lovely SweetShireen for going over this 💜

Percy lazily sipped his pumpkin juice and looked around the Great Hall, taking immense pleasure in seeing the amazement on the first years' faces. He thought back to how he was in their position just last year. Hell, he still couldn't believe that all of this was real, especially since had come from a Muggle household.

Suddenly, the candles around the room flickered in and out of existence and the black ceiling normally dotted with stars now had trembling rolls of thunder, bringing everyone's attention to the front of the room where Headmaster Zeus was standing.

He was a tall man with broad shoulders. He wore a dark blue robe with a white striped pattern and kept a well-trimmed beard that was dark as night with a face that was proud and handsome but grim. His eyes were a rainy gray as he gazed out at all of his students.

The hall had fallen silent. Percy saw a few of the Professors sitting behind him roll their eyes. Zeus always had a flair for the dramatics, they said.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts," he began. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I believe it would be prudent of me to inform you all of the expectations this fine school has for you. And the expectations that you should have for yourself.

"The first years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to everyone. Some of the upperclassmen would do well to remember that as well."

His pointed gaze fell in the direction of the Stoll twins.

"Remember, no magic should be used between classes…"

His speech began to sound exactly as it had last year making Percy's attention wane. He glanced over to the Slytherin table and a flash of blonde sprung out at him. His eyes locked on to it and he slumped into his seat.

Annabeth Chase.

He took all of her in. The way her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, the way she always kept a neutral expression, the way she made everything look easy… But what was most captivating were her eyes. They were a stormy gray that seemed to paralyze you if you gazed into them for too long. So that's exactly what Percy was doing.

To put it subtly, he was intrigued by her.

Unlike most of her Slytherin housemates, she hadn't outright exuded arrogance, mostly keeping to herself. It was strange since she excelled in everything that was school and was already becoming the envy of many. Though, that should've been expected. She did hail from the Noble House of Chase after all.

Her attention was completely on the Headmaster, diligently absorbing his every word. He had to smile at that. She was so driven and ambitious and mature for a twelve-year-old. It was no wonder she was in Slytherin.

Annabeth must've felt the tingling sensation of someone staring at her because she shifted her gaze in Percy's direction and caught his gaze. Percy quickly stared at something random in hopes she didn't catch on but when he glanced in her direction again, her pointed gaze was locked on him.

Thankfully Percy was saved from reacting by Zeus finishing up his speech.

"...study hard because the future is what you make of it. And Jason, congratulations on making it into Ravenclaw, son."

Percy let out a little laugh when he saw a boy with short blonde hair duck his head down in embarrassment as the entire school turned to look in his direction. _So Zeus has a second kid_ , he thought. He could almost hear Thalia, Zeus' daughter and a third year Slytherin, cackling at her brother's misfortune.

When Charles Beckendorf, the prefect in charge of Gryffindor, motioned for them to follow, Percy walked with his housemates but his thoughts went back to Annabeth. He realized that he had never seriously talked to her before. Their only conversations only involved trivial matters such as "excuse me," or "can you hand me that book, please?"

He put those thoughts to rest when his friend Grover, a fifth year Gryffindor, approached him and they started talking about their summer. There was no use thinking about her this much, he thought.

They'd probably never be friends.

◆ ◆ ◆

"Do you wanna be friends?"

"What?"

_An hour earlier_

Professor Chiron, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, had asked them to meet in the Great Hall. Slowly, the students began to pour in and looked around confusedly. The long dining tables had vanished and the floor was bare. The room was lit by the thousand candles that floated overhead.

Chiron stood in the middle of the room and smiled at each student as they entered.

When everyone had gathered, he smiled and began. "Good evening, students. We will be meeting here at this time every Wednesday and Friday until we can allocate a bigger classroom for what we're going to do.

"You see, in the real world, there are dangers. Dangers that are unimaginable. Witches and wizards are not always… civil, for the lack of a better word. And I have been granted permission to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves."

One student spoke up. "Defend ourselves how?"

"I'm glad you asked, Katie. I will be teaching you all how to duel using the spells we've covered each year. I believe the best way to learn is by doing so I will need two volunteers. Annabeth? Will?"

"Ah, I think I'll sit this one out, Professor," Will said, nervously glancing toward the Slytherin girl.

Chiron laughed mirthfully, his eyes crinkling. "Very well. Anyone else?"

"I'll go," Percy spoke up, surprising himself.

"Excellent! Come on up, my boy."

Percy made his way to the middle where Annabeth was already standing and faced her. She stared at him with a pensive look on her face before nodding in greeting. He returned her nod, mirroring her expression but on the inside, he was feeling nervous.

To say that Annabeth was good at magic would be an understatement.

"We will follow the tradition. First, you must bow to your opponent," the two second years followed Chiron's instruction and dipped downward. "Next, raise your wands in front of you, pointing it up… yes, that's it. This is the accepted combat position. Now, walk until you reach a fair distance between yourselves and face each other once more.

"On the count of three, you will cast your first spells. Not aiming to kill, of course—we can save that for another day."

The students spectating chuckled at the morbid joke, only feeling slightly nervous. Annabeth on the other hand felt anticipation. She'd seen her parents duel multiple times to keep their skills sharp. Now, she'd get a chance to do it herself.

Chiron began the count. "One — two — three! Begin!"

Annabeth swung her wand high and fired a spell at Percy in an expert fashion. He didn't get a chance to process the name of the spell having been flung across the room. A pained groan escaped his lips as he struggled to get up. His eyes found her face and noticed the smirk on her face.

It bothered him.

Percy raised his wand and quickly cast a spell of his own. " _Locomotor Mortis!"_

She seemed to expect that though and blocked with a _Protego_. The smirk on her face widened making Percy grit his teeth in frustration. He swallowed his bile and shot two spells in succession, both of which she blocked with relative ease. Annabeth stood there with her wand ready but now there was a look of seriousness in her eyes, the smirk gone.

If she wasn't going to attack, then Percy would. " _Petrificus Totalus!"_

His spell came at her at an alarming speed but this time she decided to dodge instead of casting a shield. Percy moved to shoot off another spell when his eyes widened in horror at the next spell she cast.

" _Stupefy!"_

The stunning spell hit him in the chest causing him to fly back once again, rendering him inert. Percy laid there gasping for air. Dark spots danced around his vision and the number of candles seemed to double.

But then the pain in his chest faded all at once and his vision righted itself. Percy sat up and saw the smiling face of Chiron with his wand pointed at him.

"Excellent work, you two! That was fantastic," Chiron praised. "And Annabeth, a stunning spell? Color me impressed. That's fourth year material."

"I've seen my mother use it before," she explained. Her eyes, however, were on Percy's crumpled form.

"I see," Chiron smiled knowingly and turned to the rest of the students. "Well, what are you all staring at? Who wants to go next?"

Many students instantly clamored to volunteer, amazed at their first taste of the art. The duels continued for the next hour until Chiron announced that their time was up.

Chiron waved goodbye as the students began to pick up their belongings. "I'm sure you're all hungry. Dinner will start soon so hurry back!"

Percy packed up to leave and walked slowly toward the exit, the weight of his loss fresh on his mind. He had dueled another student and won but his victory didn't mean much compared to his duel with Annabeth. He almost made it out of the entrance when he heard a shout behind him.

"Hey, wait!"

He turned around and confusion marred his expression when he realized it came from Annabeth. She jogged up to him and stopped in front of him.

"Do you wanna be friends?" She asked, giving him a small smile.

He raised an eyebrow. "What?"

That pensive look on her face returned and she bit her lip. "I thought, maybe we could be friends."

Percy jerked his head to the door and they began to walk side by side. "I mean, sure, but what brought this on?"

"I dunno, I had a lot of fun dueling with you. You're a really good wizard."

"Yeah, right," Percy scoffed. "You just destroyed me."

"No, I'm serious, Percy. You put up a really good fight," Annabeth comforted.

"Not good enough," Percy pouted causing her to laugh. "I didn't even hit you once."

"You'll just have to try harder next time," she teased, enjoying the look on his face. "I've been around magic all my life. Don't worry you'll get there."

They talked every day after that.

◆ ◆ ◆

**Third Year**

"GET BACK HERE!"

The thunderous roar echoed through the Great Hall turning the heads of every student sitting there. They were momentarily stunned before they erupted in laughter. In place of Percy's long black hair were strands of seaweed, green and dripping onto his face.

Percy was chasing the Stoll twins down the aisle, swerving and dodging the students too slow to move out of the way. The Stolls laughed wildly, staying just out of his grasp. He chased them around the Hufflepuff table and around the Slytherin's while everyone watched, laughing at Percy's misfortune but none harder than Annabeth.

He was about to run past her when he felt himself being tugged back by the hand causing him to fall unceremoniously onto the floor.

The twins turned back and doubled over with laughter. In unison, they yelled, "Better luck next time, Jackson!"

"Wise Girl," he complained, but she's laughing too hard to pay any mind. "They're getting away."

"It's a good look for you, Seaweed Brain," she choked out.

His eyebrows furrowed but a hint of a smile began to form on his face. "What was that?"

"Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said more clearly when she calmed down a little. "I'm calling you Seaweed Brain from here on out."

◆ ◆ ◆

Percy walked into the classroom and glanced around, looking for his curly haired best friend but was surprised when he couldn't. She was normally one of the first ones present, sitting at her desk and reviewing her notes.

He brushed it off and took a seat, placing his bag on an empty desk beside his.

When Annabeth had finally walked into class, Percy greeted her enthusiastically but she responded irritably, making the smile fall off Percy's face.

Professor Demeter droned on and on about witch hunts or something but Percy wasn't paying attention. His focus was on his best friend who had her head pressed down on the table. He had never seen her like this before.

Usually, she was the most attentive person in the class. Percy bit his lip and clenched his fists tight, worried about her. He could tell she was in a lot of pain from the way she was clutching at her stomach.

Her hair covered most of her face but he could see that she had her eyes shut tight. But when he saw the gleam of a tear sliding down her face, he couldn't take it anymore. Percy stood and helped Annabeth up, putting her arm around his shoulder and wrapping his around her waist.

"What are you doing, Seaweed Brain?" She whispered, feeling a shortness of breath.

"Taking you to the hospital wing," he replied, picking up his pace.

"Mr. Jackson, Ms. Chase, where do you think you're going?" Demeter demanded in a shrill voice.

"Sorry Professor," Percy shouted over his shoulder.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor!" he heard her shout but kept moving. Percy knew he would take some heat from his housemates for that but that was inconsequential. All that mattered to him was Annabeth.

"Stop, stop, stop," Annabeth begged. Her tears were now freely flowing down her cheeks. She crumpled down to the floor, bending over slightly and clutching her lower abdomen. "It hurts too much, Percy. I need to stay still for a while."

Percy wrung both of his hands through his hair as he stared down at his best friend. He felt helpless and scared, unable to help her. Her pain seemed to be getting worse.

Annabeth clenched her eyes tight and took deep breaths hoping the sharp pain would quell but to no avail. She wanted to cry and scream and wring her hands around something. But at the same time, she wanted to curl up into a ball and lay motionless on the floor. Then she suddenly had a sudden feeling of weightlessness. Probably because she was no longer on the ground.

Annabeth was forced to place her hands around Percy's neck to remain upright since he had taken the liberty to pick her up with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back.

"Percy!" She complained, slapping his chest. "I'm not some kind of damsel. Put me down right now!"

"Hey, that hurt," Percy chuckled and kept walking. "We're almost there, relax. You can carry me around tomorrow if it makes you feel better."

Annabeth snorted despite herself, smothering the small smile that threatened to betray her. True to his word, they made it to the hospital wing shortly but Annabeth made Percy put her down before anyone saw them in that position.

Madam Hestia had been dealing with another student who apparently had an accident during Potions class. But she stepped away momentarily when she caught sight of them. After a short, hushed explanation from Annabeth, Hestia walked up to a cabinet in the corner and pulled something out before walking back to them.

"Is this your first?" She asked kindly.

When Annabeth nodded, she handed her a little package wrapped in cloth.

"I'm assuming you know what to do with those," Hestia said, nodding towards Annabeth's hands. She nodded vigorously, her cheeks tinting pink, which caused Hestia to chuckle a little.

"After you're done, come straight back here. I'll give you a potion to help with the pain. Percy, be a dear and help Annabeth to the bathroom, will you?"

"Of course," Percy replied and tightened his grip on Annabeth. Although still in excruciating pain, she managed a meek 'thank you.'

Percy slowly escorted her to the bathroom, holding her up the entire time since she adamantly refused to be carried again.

"J-just… just stand out here, Percy," she said, looking anywhere but at him.

"Yell if you need anything," Percy told her, thinking it would be reassuring but was thoroughly confused when he saw her cheeks redden substantially.

"Sh-shut up," she managed to get out before pushing past him and hurriedly making her way into the bathroom.

Percy had an incredulous look on his face but it was soon overshadowed by his increasing concern for his best friend. He paced in front of their girl's bathroom for what seemed like an eternity, drawing strange looks from the girls entering and leaving.

 _What is she even doing in there that's taking so long?_ Percy wondered, sick with worry. He was going to get gray hairs because of this girl.

When Annabeth finally shuffled out of the bathroom, she had a slightly calmer look on her face making Percy feel immense relief. He smiled widely at her and she returned it but with a smaller one. She must still be in pain, Percy surmised.

"Percy," she murmured, averting her gaze from him. "Could you please…" the rest of her sentence was inaudible.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"Could you…" she trailed off again, tugging her arm close to her body by the elbow. "Could you carry me again please?"

Percy had a soft smile on his face as he wordlessly stepped closer to her and picked her up again. Annabeth buried her face into his shoulder so he couldn't see her face causing Percy to let out a laugh.

"Shut up, Seaweed Brain," she mumbled.

Percy pressed his lips together and remained silent, brimming with glee. He stared down at her mane of curls and felt a warmth spread in his chest. They continued the rest of the journey in silence.

Annabeth let out a blissful sigh after ingesting the potion Madam Hestia had given her. The pain in her lower abdomen had substantially quelled allowing her to breathe properly for the first time that day, though there was still a dull ache.

Annabeth had never felt so grateful to be a magical person. Dealing with menstruation in the Muggle way would be barbaric.

After leaving the hospital wing, Percy had walked her down to the dungeons, stopping in front of the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Why did they make housing for students in the dungeons of all places?" Percy asked, incredulous. "It's so cold down here."

Annabeth shrugged. "It's not so bad. The ghosts aren't awful company, much better than some of my housemates anyway."

"I'll bet," Percy said and they shared a laugh.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Percy," Annabeth said softly. "I would've probably passed out if you didn't help me."

"Don't worry about it. It was nothing," Percy replied, nonchalantly.

Annabeth paused, uncertain, before darting forward and planting a kiss on his cheek. Percy's eyes widened but she quickly ran into her common room before he could say anything.

If she had looked back, she would've seen the way he was staring off into space with a stupid smile on his face, his fingers lightly grazing the spot her lips had touched.

◆ ◆ ◆

**Fourth Year**

" _Avis! Oppugno!"_

Annabeth conjured a flock of birds that immediately shot forward with her second spell. Percy easily dispelled them and sent a leg locking curse at her. She rolled to the side to avoid it and a mischievous smile crossed her face.

" _Langlock!"_

The spell Percy was about to cast fell on deaf ears. Annabeth's curse had glued his tongue to roof his mouth and made him sputter indignantly. Annabeth laughed freely as she watched him undo her spell.

Percy was annoyed. "Seriously?"

"What are you gonna do about it, Seaweed Brain?"

"This— _Densaugeo!_ "

It was now Percy's turn to laugh as Annabeth went cross eyed and started panicking, watching her front teeth grow at an alarming rate. A trail of drool could be seen flowing from her mouth making Percy laugh even more. It was ironic; she was normally the one who made fun of him for drooling.

"That's a great look on you!" He hollered and fell into another fit of giggles watching her struggle.

" _Finite,_ " she struggled to get out.

When her teeth had returned to normal, she tentatively ran her tongue over them and glared at Percy. He laughed at her ticked expression and stuck his tongue out.

"What are you gonna do about it, Wise Girl?" He mocked in a high pitched voice.

Annabeth couldn't help but snort out a laugh at his antics. But her eyes quickly narrowed and she flicked her wand; a jet of gray light flew at Percy who in turn cast a _Protego Maxima._

The silvery light from the shielding charm was amplified and nearly blinding. Before she could wonder why Percy cast such a powerful charm, a beam of purple light shot out from behind the shield and struck her torso.

The wind was knocked out of her as she doubled over, coughing and clutching her torso in pain. She dropped to the floor but remained upright, taking deep heavy breaths. Knowing she would lose if Percy followed up on his assault, she quickly fired off two spells in succession.

" _Incarcerous! Expelliarmus!"_

Percy raised his wand to block the spells but they came at him too fast. The magically conjured ropes wrapped themselves around him tightly causing him to struggle but it was futile. Annabeth's second spell sent his wand across the room and left him defenseless. Her victory was assured.

"You'll have to try harder, Seaweed Brain," she taunted, while Percy was unentangling himself.

Percy grinned. "Admit it, I had you there for a second."

"For a second," she relented, smiling back at him.

Chiron barked out a laugh. "You two are certainly the most destructive students I've ever had."

The two students in question smiled sheepishly as they looked around the room. Debris and broken furniture were littered everywhere. The spectators clapped excitedly just as they did every time Percy and Annabeth dueled. These two never failed to put on a show. Some of the students looked wary of them, though, especially because they looked to be having fun during most of the duel yet they caused so much destruction.

With a flick of Chiron's wand, the rubble and objects around the room flew to their original places and righted itself, allowing the next pair to begin their duel. Percy and Annabeth walked side by side to a corner of the room to look for Percy's wand.

"You've improved a lot, Perce," Annabeth praised him. Her hand unconsciously grabbed onto his sleeve but he didn't seem to notice. "Of course, it's all thanks to me. Amplifying the light from your _Protego_ to blind me was smart; I must be rubbing off on you."

Percy scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. "Really? You're gonna take credit for this?"

"Credit should be given where credit is due," she said sagely.

They held each other's gaze for a few moments before simultaneously bursting into peals of laughter. They clutched onto each to keep themselves upright, drawing odd looks from the other students.

From across the room, Chiron shook his head slightly and smiled as he watched them. _Those two have no idea,_ he thought, bemused.

◆ ◆ ◆

It was a warm Saturday afternoon, something that would soon become a commodity in the coming months. Such treasures should be well… treasured. So, a picnic was in order.

On the banks of the Black Lake, Annabeth and Percy sat beside each other, and across from them were Grover and Juniper. The Stolls were tinkering with something near the water and the other four collectively hoped nothing caught on fire.

Grover had finished eating quickly and dragged a laughing Juniper with him to the water. She plopped the sandwich she was eating in her mouth and jumped on his back. Everyone watched, laughing as Grover jumped into the water with her. The Stolls quickly followed, teaming up to splash the couple.

Percy stood up, not wanting to miss out on the fun and looked at Annabeth. He rolled his eyes when he saw she had a book open in her lap but then his gaze softened. Annabeth was staring out at the lake watching their friends play in the water.

"You coming?" Percy asked.

"No, you go on ahead," Annabeth replied with slight trepidation in her voice, which was not lost upon Percy. "I've been meaning to read this book anyway."

Percy snorted. "Yeah, it looks like you're getting a lot of reading done. Come on, I know you want to go in."

"No, I most certainly do not," she said as confidently as she could. But was surprised when Percy sat back down beside her. "Percy, you can go in if you want to. Don't let me spoil your fun."

"Nah, I have more fun when I'm with you," he said easily. His immediate reply startled her yet again and she bit down on her lip to smother a smile. "Besides, I'm waiting for you to tell me the real reason you don't want to go in."

"What? The real reason?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Anna Banana," Percy laughed when he saw the sour look on her face at the nickname. "I know when you're hiding something."

"Do you now? And what exactly is it that I'm hiding?"

"That's what I'm waiting for you to tell me," he responded. Percy was now laying on his stomach with his head propped up on his hands, staring directly at her. "So…"

Annabeth didn't know whether she should smile or shy away at his actions so she did a little bit of both. Her heart warmed when she thought about how well he knew her. And it gave her the confidence to tell him her secret. If she couldn't confide in her best friend, then who could she ever tell?

"I don't know how to swim," Annabeth admitted.

"That's all?" Percy asked, incredulous. Annabeth smacked him on the arm hard. "Hey!"

"What do you mean, 'that's all?'" She sputtered. "This happens to be a very serious issue."

"With a very simple solution."

Percy stood up and brushed the dirt off his shirt, before pulling it off. Annabeth's eyes went wide and she glanced away, her cheeks tinged with a rosy pink. But a snap of his fingers directed her attention back to her best friend. He had his hand held out and was smiling down at her, oblivious of how flustered she was.

"What?"

"I'm gonna teach you how to swim," Percy told her, his smile widening. It was infectious; Annabeth had found herself starting to smile too.

She accepted his inviting hand and allowed him to pull her to the water. Within the hour, she was swimming with everyone else in the middle of the lake.

Her laughter had never been so carefree.

◆ ◆ ◆

**Fifth Year**

"So you're telling me you've never watched The Vampire Diaries but you watched Legacies?" Annabeth asked, astonished.

Percy nodded, a smile beginning to form on his face knowing what she was about to say.

"You realize that's the spin off _of the spin off,_ right?" She was practically seething now. "And the original show is so much better than that rubbish. Well, most of it anyway."

Percy shrugged. "It probably is. Legacies is sometimes kind of cringe—"

"So _why_ did you watch it?" She pressed, completely flabbergasted. She was kind of embarrassed to call him her friend at this moment.

"I mean, have you seen the main character?"

"Who? Hope Mikaelson?" She asked and Percy nodded. "What about her?"

"She's hot," he said simply. "So I figured it was worth a watch."

"You're such a _guy_ ," Annabeth said in mock disgust before starting to laugh and Percy joined in. When their laughter subsided, she asked, "So is that your… type then? Brunettes?"

"My type?" He chuckled, scratching his head. "I dunno, I don't think I have a type. Why, you jealous?"

"Please," she rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Don't worry, I like my blondes too," Percy joked.

Annabeth scoffed and playfully pushed his shoulder. Percy nudged her with his shoulder in return causing the two of them to fall into another fit of laughter.

"How do you know so much about Muggle television anyway?" Percy asked.

"My dad's kind of obsessed with Muggle stuff much to my mother's annoyance. It's kind of weird since he's a Pureblood but Netflix was literally a _blessing_ ," she exaggerated, making Percy shake his head in amusement. "I love reading but I can only stare at words for so long."

"I hear ya. That's why I can't read," Percy said with a serious face.

They stared at each other with stony expressions, waiting for something. Their stare off only lasted a few seconds, though. As soon as Percy's lips twitched, their façades broke and they fell into a fit of giggles.

"Okay… okay, I think we should start this Potions essay now," Annabeth said, wiping a tear from her eye. "It's supposed to be 30 inches and we haven't even started. This is all your fault."

"Buzzkill," Percy pouted but began pulling out his things.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and started reading her textbook. She found herself rolling her eyes once more when she looked at Percy again.

"Honestly, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth voiced, rubbing her temples, clearly exasperated at the sight before her. "How do you manage to drool while you're awake?"

Percy rubbed at his mouth and grinned at her lopsidedly. "It's a talent."

A moment later, she snuck another glance toward Percy and saw his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he tried to make sense of what he was reading. One hand was buried in his hair and the other kept track of the line he was reading. He always had the same mannerisms every time they studied together making her smile.

Percy looked over to the empty seats beside him and Annabeth and sighed. "It's hard to believe that Grover and Juniper graduated already, huh?"

"Yeah… it's weird here without them," Annabeth replied, downtrodden.

"At least you still have me, right?" Percy joked.

Annabeth had a soft smile on her face. "Unfortunately."

She really loved his consistency.

◆ ◆ ◆

Until he wasn't consistent anymore.

Percy, Annabeth, Connor, and Travis stood nervously in Professor Artemis's classroom. Her striking silver-grey eyes poured into the four students in front of her and her anger seemed to roll off of her in waves. The fifth years squirmed and averted their gaze.

"In all my years as both a student and Professor at Hogwarts, I've never seen anyone do something so inappropriate or revolting," she seethed, glaring at them.

"Do you even understand the severity of your actions?" She practically screamed at them. "There are _seven_ students in the hospital wing suffering because of you four."

Connor tried to protest. "Some of them laughed about it—"

"Quiet!" She snapped, glaring daggers at the poor boy. "This by no means was amusing. I will be writing to all of your families tonight. I'm deducting thirty points from each of you and you will all be serving detention every day for the next month. Pray that I don't have you expelled."

"Professor, please—" Annabeth objected.

"And _you_ , Annabeth. I never expected you to stoop the level of these _boys_ ," she spat out the word like it was venom.

With a flair of her robe, she walked past them and out of the door. A collective sigh escaped all of them when her footsteps had faded out of earshot.

"Holy _shit_ ," Percy breathed. "We're still alive."

Travis laughed lightly and shook his head, still scared. "Guess the explosive diarrhea potions weren't such a good idea."

The three boys chuckled but Annabeth stayed silent and rooted where she stood. Her heart began to beat faster with a sense of impending doom, in fear of what her mother would say.

Annabeth couldn't sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned, staring at different corners of the room until the morning light peered into her room. She groaned as she got up and headed down to the common room. She didn't make it two steps before someone managed to annoy her.

"Yikes, you look terrible," Drew Tanaka, a fellow sixth year Slytherin, told her.

Annabeth scowled. "Shut up, Drew. I'm not in the mood to deal with you today."

Before the other girl could speak again, Annabeth quickly left for the Great Hall. She sat away from her other housemates and pointedly ignored Percy waving at her from the Gryffindor table. To say that she was annoyed with him would be an understatement. She wasn't even supposed to be a part of their little prank, but like usual, she got roped into one of their ridiculous antics.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Dawn, her owl, flying at her with urgency.

"Oh, no…" Annabeth murmured.

Her mouth went dry and a pang of fear went through her when she saw the flash of red clutched in her talons.

A howler.

From across the room, Percy watched his best friend dash away with concern on his face.

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth ran faster than she ever had before. The howler clutched in her hand was heating up to the point that it was starting to burn her. She ran out into the grounds and stopped in a clearing in the forest, holding onto a tree for support and taking deep breaths.

 _If I don't open it,_ Annabeth thought, biting her lip. _It'll just explode anyway._

The thought of destroying the letter crossed her mind and she shuddered. If she did that, her mother would probably come up here and yell at her in person. She shook her head and grasped the lip of the envelope and tugged, bracing herself.

" _ANNABETH CHASE, I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I'M HEARING. OF ALL THE JUVENILE DELINQUENCY GOING ON AT THAT SCHOOL, I NEVER EXPECTED YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN IT. DO YOU HAVE A SHRED OF RESPECT FOR YOURSELF? OR FOR ME? YOU HAVE A REPUTATION TO MAINTAIN AS THE HEIR OF THE HOUSE OF CHASE. DOES THIS MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?_

" _IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THE COMPANY YOU KEEP. THOSE ROWDY BUNCH OF GRYFFINDORS, ESPECIALLY THAT MUDBLOOD, PERSEUS JACKSON. HE'S THE ONE CORRUPTING YOU THE MOST. I'VE TOLD YOU COUNTLESS TIMES TO STEER CLEAR OF SUCH VERMIN. BUT TIME AFTER TIME, YOU DISOBEY ME. I'M SICK OF IT!_

" _I AM ABSOLUTELY_ _ **DISGUSTED**_ _WITH YOUR BEHAVIOR. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER OR I'M PULLING YOU OUT OF HOGWARTS!"_

A ringing silence fell. The red envelope burst into flames and curled into ashes as Annabeth stood stunned, as though a freezing tidal wave had just washed over her. A small tingle nagged at her mind making her eyes glaze over for a second before going back to normal.

She fell to her knees and stared blankly at the remains of the letter. Her body momentarily felt hollow before anguish tore at her. She sniffled as tears began to slip down her cheeks and sobs wracked at her chest.

Her mother had a talent for breaking down someone's spirit.

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth went about the rest of that day without uttering a single word. Her emotions were far from stable; she didn't have the energy to entertain any conversations but at the same time she felt like she would explode at the first person who irked her. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.

She rounded the corner of the corridor, heading to her next class when she locked eyes with Percy. He was talking to a blonde boy who she recognized as Jason Grace, a fourth year Ravenclaw.

"Wise Girl, hey," Percy greeted, running up to her.

Annabeth shoved past him mumbling, "I'm late for class."

"We have the same class, and it's not for twenty more minutes," Percy said, walking beside her. "Is everything okay? I haven't seen you since breakfast."

"I'm fine," she muttered. "Can you leave me alone? I have work to do."

Percy recoiled as if physically struck. But then a thought crossed his mind and he laughed a little. "Oh! You're on your period right now, aren't you? My bad."

Annabeth's face burned with embarrassment as she shoved him aggressively against the wall. "No! I most certainly am not."

She walked off again but Percy was persistent. "So… what is the problem?"

Annabeth swallowed her annoyance and picked up her pace, hoping he'd give up. But she should've known better. This was Percy after all. For the moment, he stayed silent but he stayed by her side, matching her pace.

"Go _away_ , Percy," Annabeth whisper-yelled, through gritted teeth. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now."

Red alarms blared through Percy's mind when he saw the look in Annabeth's eyes. They masked an unnerving amount of sadness with white hot anger. He was frozen for a moment before he snapped out of it and reached out to grab her wrist.

"Annabeth! Please! Tell me what's wrong. How can I help you if you don't talk to me?" Percy pleaded.

She rounded on him and jerked her arm out of his grasp, her eyes flashing with anger. "What makes you think I need your help?!"

Percy faltered, opening and closing his mouth several times. "Wise Girl… Annabeth, please, just talk to me. We'll get through this. We're a team. That's what we do…" Percy's voice was soft and comforting, but there was also desperation in it.

She scoffed in exasperation. "Just leave me alone, Percy. This isn't something you can help with."

"Then help me understand—"

"You'll never understand, you daft, inconceivable little _mudblood_!" Annabeth viciously spat.

As soon as the slur escaped her lips, her hand came up to cover her mouth and all the anger left at once, instantly replaced with regret. Her eyes widened considerably and her thoughts ran a mile a minute, aghast that she had said such a thing.

Any words Percy would have retorted with escaped him as shock and hurt lined his features. The slur that escaped her lips was one that Percy had been hearing since his first year from the rest of the Pureblood bigots in Slytherin house.

But he never would've imagined his best friend would call him that.

Percy blinked rapidly when he began to feel the familiar burning in his eyes. A lump began to form in his throat making it feel like he was suffocating. Audibly swallowing, he staggered backward before turning around and running in the opposite direction.

He refused to let her see him cry.

Annabeth stood in the same spot, immobile as she stared at the billowing black robes of Percy's retreating figure. She whispered his name once, wanting with all her heart to call out to him but the magnitude of her words seemed to have caught up with her. Percy's pained expression was now engraved in her mind. And then a realization struck her more fiercely than a bolt of lightning.

She had just lost her best friend.

◆ ◆ ◆

**Sixth Year**

Annabeth had it all planned out.

She would get him in a compartment by himself and lock the door so he would be forced to listen to her. And she would plead, beg, do whatever for his forgiveness. This was Percy, she thought. He was never one to hold a grudge for too long.

She shook her head and felt like screaming. _What is wrong with me?_ she berated herself. This wasn't something that could be solved. It wasn't an equation or an assortment of runes or something else completely irrelevant. This was Percy.

"I went too far," she mumbled, her eyes welling up tears. She quickly wiped them away before her father could see.

"What was that, dear?" Frederick asked, looking at Annabeth through the rearview mirror.

"What? Nothing, just wondering what classes I'll be taking," she said quickly.

Frederick chuckled and shook his head.

From the passenger's seat, Athena cleared her throat and spoke in a clipped tone. "I expect you to work on Potions more rigorously. You fell short of an Outstanding last year."

Annabeth swallowed the furious words she actually wanted to respond with and settled for, "Yes, mother."

Of course, her other achievements did not hold any merit. In the five OWLs she took last year, she received an Outstanding in four of them and an Exceeds Expectations in Potions. But nothing short of perfection was enough for her mother.

"Lighten up, Athena," Frederick chastised lightly. "Annabeth will be fine. If I remember correctly, she did better than—"

She cut him off. "Eyes on the road, Frederick."

Frederick pressed his lips together and he smiled mischievously. His eyes met Annabeth's again through the rearview mirror and he winked at her. Annabeth smiled slightly and faked a small laugh to not worry him. She could always count on her dad to relieve the tension whenever her mother got in one of her moods.

They arrived at King's Cross Station moments later and passed through the entrance of platform 9¾.

"I'll be fine from here. Thanks for driving me," Annabeth said.

But Frederick was having none of it. "Come on, sweetie. We're only going to be able to do this two more times."

Annabeth shook her head. "You say that every year, dad."

"Only because it's true!" He whined.

She rolled her eyes and pushed her trolley to where they were collecting the luggage. As she handed the boy Dawn, her eyes wandered down the platform and after a moment, her shoulders slumped.

There he was. Percy Jackson. He stood with his back to her as he handed over his trunk. He was here with his mother like always. A brief sense of panic shot through Annabeth. _What would Sally think of me now?_ she asked herself.

She became overcome with sadness, guilt, and longing. The dull weight that had been pressing down on her chest since last year transformed into an onslaught of sorrow hitting her all at once.

She bit her lip anxiously. They've never gone this long without talking to each other. Surely, Sally would question this and if Percy told her what happened… Percy already hated her; Annabeth couldn't bear the thought of Sally hating her too. She and Percy were cut from the same cloth—one made of kindness, loyalty, and a fierce love for the ones precious to them. Sometimes she thought Percy should've been in Hufflepuff.

In the past, they'd exchange letters every few days over the summer and now… now, Percy couldn't even stand to look at her. The rest of their fifth year had been hell for Annabeth. She tried so desperately to get him alone and apologize but Percy had become annoyingly adept at avoiding her.

During the classes they had together, his gaze was firmly locked on to the Professors. She would try to catch his eye but he'd never turn in her direction. A shudder went through her body when she remembered the instances where their gazes had met. The pleading looks she'd send him were greeted with a cold, unfeeling one. His beautiful, vibrant sea green eyes had dulled, mirroring his demeanor. And the smile that was almost always on his face was hardly ever seen again.

Annabeth's thoughts were interrupted by Sally waving excitedly at her. She grabbed Percy's arm and dragged him over to her. Annabeth concealed the sad smile on her face and put on a friendly façade. If the situation had been normal, Percy would be the one dragging Sally over.

"Annabeth! Hello," Sally greeted, pulling her in for a hug. "I haven't seen you in so long."

Annabeth returned her greeting and smiled back at her when she pulled back. Sally was undoubtedly the _warmest_ person she'd ever met. And her words were true. They didn't get to greet each other at King's Cross during the end of their fifth year due to… obvious reasons.

"It's nice to see you again, Athena, Frederick."

Sally extended her hand out to them and her parents shook it. Her father had responded in kind but her mother's greeting was dull and devoid of any friendliness. Annabeth's face fell at her mother's lack of indulgence.

Thankfully, her father spoke up. "So, Percy, excited about your classes?"

"They should be interesting," he replied, evenly.

Annabeth winced and looked down at the ground as the familiar weight of guilt settled at the forefront of her mind. His voice was so painfully _neutral_. And he hadn't spared her a single glance.

"What is your best subject, Perseus?" Annabeth's head snapped up when she realized it was her mother who asked that question.

Athena was looking over at Percy who stared back at her, unflinching. Annabeth's mouth parted in confusion; this was quite possibly the biggest change in her old best friend. Percy was always frightened by Athena, much to Annabeth's amusement.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Percy told her in the same clip tone.

Athena pursed her lips and nodded. "That's… good. Well, I wish you luck this year."

Percy nodded in thanks and walked off with Sally. Sally had observed the tense conversation like a hawk so he'd no doubt be questioned by her. Annabeth was at a loss. Despite all she had said about him last year, it was as if her mother, Athena Chase, was the one intimidated by Percy now.

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth's parents walked beside each other in silence after they exited the train station.

"So that's _his_ kid, huh?"

Athena had a wary look on her face as she glanced around. "Hush, Frederick."

He scoffed. "Oh, please. You act as if he's the Dark Lord or something."

"No, but he's as good as," she warned. Then she gained a soft look and allowed her weariness to show. "His son looks just like him now."

A pensive look crossed his face when he thought of the man. They had reached the car but neither made a move to enter.

Frederick sighed. "Did you notice Annabeth crying earlier?"

"Of course I did," she replied, tiredly. "She hasn't been the same this summer. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm starting to regret what I did."

Frederick grabbed her hand and squeezed softly. "What _we_ did. I agree, it shouldn't have happened like that… Now our past mistakes are coming back to haunt us. Did you see the look in his eyes?"

Athena shut her eyes and clenched her unoccupied fist tightly. "Yes… the cold anger. He's his father's son, that's for sure."

"We should get back home, Athena—"

"Freddy, what if he finds out? Do you think we should do something?" Athena asked, panicking a little.

Despite the situation, Frederick took a moment to smile to himself. Athena was usually never one for nicknames so he reveled in every rare occasion it happened.

"He won't. And we can't change what happened all those years ago, hon." He patted her hand reassuringly. "Annie will figure something out. She's your daughter after all."

A small smile graced Athena's lips. "I think she'll have to use your genes this time."

◆ ◆ ◆

The doors of the classroom opened and the students' chattering fell silent for a moment. They turned around to greet Professor Chiron, but were confused when a tall man with messy black hair walked in. He had quite the intimidating figure with his Auror uniform and sharp jaw; his green eyes were narrowed and his lips were pressed together in a thin line. His wand was drawn causing most of the students to shift uneasily in their seats.

His stony face relaxed into a friendly smile. "Sorry for the dramatics, everyone. I had to deal with something. Anyway, my name is Harry Potter, and I'll be your Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for the foreseeable future."

The classroom erupted into loud gasps and yells as everyone started talking all at once.

"That's _the_ Harry Potter?!"

"What is he doing here?"

"He literally just told us, Travis."

"Shut up, Connor."

"I thought he was the Head Auror. Did he quit?"

Harry made his way to the front of the classroom and faced the students, smiling at everyone. Though, he looked a little uncomfortable from all the attention.

"Settle down, guys. Professor Chiron is incapacitated due to some health issues and until he's better, I'm afraid you all are stuck with me," Harry said, smiling at them.

"It's an honor to have you teach us, Lord Potter," Octavian spoke up like the sycophant he was.

The students observed how Harry's expression transformed back to the one he was wearing when he entered the room. His piercing gaze bore into Octavian as the blonde boy shrunk further and further into his seat.

"What is your name and house?" Harry asked.

"Um, Octavian Rossi, Slytherin."

Their professor nodded. "Five points from Slytherin. If any of you refer to me as 'Lord Potter' again, I'll fail you," he warned. Then his face went back to being cheerful. "Now, Professor Chiron tells me he left off with…"

◆ ◆ ◆

Having Harry Potter has their DADA teacher was certainly a treat. The man was funny, charming, knowledgeable, but most of all, he was understanding. He didn't pressure anyone nor did he get angry with blunders. In fact, he laughed along with most of the students. It was as if he was an upperclassman guiding them rather than their professor.

"All right, so today, we'll start with the duels again. It was very smart of Professor Chiron to have introduced you guys to dueling so early. Back in my second year when I was learning how to duel, I had some idiot as my professor and let me tell you… it did not pan well for us," Harry said, shaking his head.

The students burst into laughter. Harry had quickly grown to be almost everyone's favorite professor despite his short tenure.

"So anyway, Chiron has these charts that keep track of your progress and abilities," he told them, flipping through the pages. "I'm supposed to write you an evaluation after every duel and then we'll work on whatever you're struggling with. For the first duel, I'll match up whoever's the closest in skill level… Annabeth Chase and Perseus Jackson."

A few whispers traveled around the room as they turned to look at the two named students. Percy's face was as stoic as ever while Annabeth's was mostly neutral. Everyone had been watching these two go at it since second year; each progressive duel between them was more memorable than the last. The only thing they had in common was that Annabeth was undefeated.

However, they would be hard pressed to say that Percy was subpar by any means. Although muggleborn, Percy was amongst the most formidable duelists in the school, using spells in ways that not even Annabeth had thought of.

The two stood up and made their way to the middle of the room while those who would be spectating backed up. The rumors of their fight last year were deemed true based on the way they had practically ignored each other the entire. It felt almost foreign not seeing the two of them laughing together.

Percy's eyes locked onto Annabeth's and she instantly flinched. She took a breath and steeled herself, reminding herself that this was Percy. Percy's jaw was set as he gripped his wand tightly and made his way over to her. His shoes made loud thumps in the eerily silent room. Each step he took increased Annabeth's nervousness as she approached him.

They bowed and got into the combative position, awaiting Harry's signal to begin.

When he finally did so, not a second passed before Percy fired a strong _Stupefy_ towards Annabeth. She was able to block it at the last second it had sent her staggering back. Her head jerked to glare up at Percy but he was already in the motion of firing another spell.

She hastily cast a _Protego_ and moved to fire a curse of her own. Percy sidestepped her slashing curse, but it nicked his cheek forming a shallow gash. Blood dripped down his face but he paid it no mind and shot off continuous curses at her.

Neither made any headway as they continued to deflect and fire spells at each other. It was almost like a dance. Their movements were fluid and seemingly choreographed, a testament of how well they knew each other.

 _Are all kids this strong nowadays or was my generation just lacking?_ Harry thought to himself, incredulously. He wordlessly cast a protective ward around the middle of the room just in case one of these destructive spells went astray.

" _Petrificus Totalus!_ "

" _Petrificus Totalus!_ "

Their respective full body-bind curses flew at the other making the two of them simultaneously somersault to the right to avoid it. After landing, their gazes were instantly on the other as they slowly moved around each other in a circle, awaiting the right moment to strike.

"Nice moves, Perce," Annabeth tried with a small smile.

She missed their banter between each duel. It used to be the thing that made all of their duels fun but this time, it seemed to only make Percy angrier. His eyes narrowed and poured into her entire being, unsettling her. That customary warmth in his sea green irises was nowhere to be found.

Annabeth's eyes widened when Percy waved his wand in a circular motion above him and the giant gargoyle statues in the room broke from their positions and followed the motion of Percy's wand. The swirled in the air ominously and she knew what would come next.

Percy flicked his wand in her direction and the floating statues all flew at her with alarming speed. She braced herself and pointed her wand in front of her, holding it with both hands, hoping her next spell would work. If not, well…

" _REDUCTO!_ "

Her curse impacted the incoming projectiles with a force she had never produced before. The statues burst apart, reduced to rubble and dust and she spotted a silhouette through the smoke. When the dust cleared, she saw that Percy was looking at her with something akin to _respect_.

A burst of pride swelled through her as she stood panting. Although it wasn't because of her prowess, but for the simple fact that Percy had looked at her with an emotion other than indifference or anger. Then he went and surprised her again by lowering his wand and crossing his arms. He was waiting for her to catch her breath, she realized.

She took a deep, steadying breath and nodded at him gratefully. Percy's face remained neutral and he took up his stance again.

They went back and forth exchanging spells nearing a stalemate when Annabeth doubled over panting. Sweat dripped down her face and fell to the floor from exhaustion. The duel had been going on for quite a while and she felt her magic reserves waning from exertion.

She only had one more big spell in her. With the thought in her mind, she looked at Percy. He was breathing heavily but he was in much better shape than her. She cursed his stamina—that was something he had on her in heaps. She gulped down a breath and stood up, pointing her wand at him.

" _INCENDIO!"_

" _AQUA ERUCTO!"_

A column of bright, golden flames crashed into a fierce, destructive torrent of water like two cannon blasts. They fought for control, struggling and gritting their teeth as they tried to overpower the other. Their wands were shaking and vibrating as if an electric charge surged through them. Inch by inch, Percy's spell pushed back Annabeth's flames and she was soon overwhelmed by its sheer ferocity.

She lay flat on her back, soaked head to toe. She gasped and greedily took gulps of air, her teeth chattering from the ice cold water. Her joints groaned in protest as she tried to stand up. Amidst her motions, she caught sight of Percy again and her eyes widened in horror.

A _Diffindo_ came full force at her forcing Annabeth to roll to the side to try and avoid it, unable to iterate a spell in time. The severing curse grazed her arm causing a deep gash to appear on the top of her right forearm. She let out a cry of pain as blood rapidly gushed out of her wound and she clutched at it, gritting her teeth in pain.

Her grip on her wand wavered and the vinewood cluttered uselessly to the floor. A defeated expression crossed her face and tears unwillingly filled her eyes as she gazed up at Percy.

He was panting heavily but his steely, indifferent expression was still firmly set. His eyes softened slightly as he took in her crumpled form before returning to its earlier intensity. Snapping his wand to the side, he turned around and walked back into the crowd.

He never looked back.

◆ ◆ ◆

Percy sat by the banks of the lake, looking out at the stillness of the water. The clouds reflecting on its surface made it seem as if the sky really wasn't all that far away. Like if he reached out…

"So you're the stereotypical brooding loner bastard now?"

Percy snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see the smirking face of Thalia. She plopped down beside him and pulled out a ziplock bag, grinning as she held it up for him to see.

"It looks like he is." To Percy's right, Nico sat down.

"You're one to talk, Death Breath."

"Fuck off, Thalia."

"Can't you guys go smoke somewhere else?" Percy asked, exasperatedly.

Thalia held out the freshly rolled blunt to him. "Nope. And you look like you need it."

"I don't _need_ it," he refuted, but took it anyway.

Percy raised it between his lips and took a deep drag. The sensation of smoke entering his lungs felt _nice_ , as weird as that was to say. This amount wouldn't affect him in the slightest, but there was something about the familiarity of doing this with friends that made him feel better. He exhaled and watched as the smoke disappeared into thin air.

"Well, don't hog it," Thalia complained.

Percy passed the blunt to her and watched as she inhaled while closing her eyes. She always had that tick.

"What's with that look on your face?"

"Huh?"

"You hoping to get a go on this?" Thalia asked, pointing to her body. "Sorry Perce, I'm with Luke."

Percy rolled his eyes, smiling slightly. "I'm heartbroken Thals, but I think I'll survive."

"Can we not talk about your sex life?" Nico asked, disgusted by the thought of it.

Thalia smiled deviously. "What's the problem, Nic? Don't you wanna hear about all the things I can do with my tongue?"

"No, not particularly," he deadpanned, inching away from them.

"What about you, Percy? Don't you wanna hear about how—"

Percy clamped a hand over Thalia's mouth, laughing genuinely for the first time in months.

◆ ◆ ◆

"I yield!" Calypso sputtered out.

Percy lowered his wand and holstered it before jogging over to her. He reached a hand out to help her up and she gratefully accepted it.

He gave her a small smile. "Good duel."

Calypso scoffed but smiled. "I'm no match for you, Percy."

"Nah," Percy shook his head. "You have a lot of power behind your spells, you just need to work on controlling them better."

"Hey, leave the evaluations for me!" Harry joked. "But yes, Percy's correct. Keep practicing and you'll get it in no time."

Calypso blushed at the praise and walked alongside Percy as he explained her faults in the duel and what she could do to improve. From the other side of the room, Annabeth watched the two with a clenched jaw. An ugly feeling settled in her stomach when she saw how close Calypso was to Percy and how much she was laughing.

Harry clapped his hands and smiled. "That's the end of class for today. Great work everyone! You'll get your written evaluations when I see you tomorrow."

Percy shouldered his bag and motioned to leave when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He turned to see the smiling face of Professor Potter.

"Would you mind staying behind for a little bit, Percy? I wanted to talk to you about something."

Percy confusedly nodded his assent and watched as his classmates left. Calypso turned and waved at him, smiling brightly. He nodded at her and she left.

"So, how are you?" Harry asked, crossing his arms and giving him a warm smile.

Percy wondered if he did something wrong. "I'm fine… how are you?"

"Good, good. This is a little awkward, isn't it?"

"A little," Percy agreed and they shared a laugh.

"You're really good at dueling, Percy. Much better than me when I was your age," he commended. "And your water spells are stronger than any I've ever seen before. Were you aware of this?"

"Seriously? Oh—I mean, no sir," Percy quickly covered up causing Harry to chuckle. He liked this kid already.

"Yes, seriously," Harry joked, making Percy laugh a little. "I think it would be very beneficial for you if you honed that criteria. You'd become a real menace as an Auror."

Percy rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly at the unexpected praise but thanked him. Coming from the strongest wizard alive, that was seriously saying something.

"Your abilities aside, that's not the real reason I asked you to stay behind. I noticed that you seemed very, how do I put this? _Aggressive_ , in your last duel with Annabeth," Percy's eyes became downcast at the mention of her name and he pressed his lips tightly together. "I wanted to ask you, is anything the matter? I've never seen you injure someone like that before."

Percy stayed silent for a long time, thinking about how he should respond. "Annabeth and I are not on good terms, to say the least."

"I gathered that much," Harry said. His voice had dropped an octave when he noticed a few students passing by. With a nod of his head, the door to his classroom closed shut.

"Wow, was that wandless magic?" Percy asked, glancing back from the door to the man in front of him.

"Oh, that? Yeah. I'm sure you'll be able to do it soon too," Harry told him, shrugging noncommittally, before adopting a serious look. "Anyway, back on topic. I'm concerned about a repeat of that duel happening, especially unsupervised."

"I would never do that!" Percy all but yelled, a frantic look on his face.

"I'm glad to hear it," Harry said, raising his hands in a placating manner. "But magic is dangerous. It's in your best interest to understand that."

"I would _never_ do that, Professor," Percy repeated, his eyes resolute. "I mean it. I had a lot of pent up anger inside of me because of her and it all just… exploded, I guess."

"Believe me, I understand. I really do," Harry said, crossing his arms and letting out a sigh. "That goes to show you why bottling things up isn't healthy. For you, for your peers, whoever."

"Yeah… I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this, Professor Potter. No offense, of course," Percy exhaled and picked at a loose thread in his robes.

"I'm not a real professor," he laughed. "You can call me Harry when no one else is around. And I dunno, I've been told I'm a good listener. Or at least, that's what my wife tells me."

"Oh, you're married?"

"Yup. Hermione and I'll be celebrating our eleventh anniversary this summer," Harry glanced away and smiled as if recalling a happy memory. "Anyway, you and Annabeth are very similar to my wife and me."

"W-what?" Percy stuttered out, his face adorning a healthy red hue at the prospect. "How?"

Harry chuckled a little. "We used to fight and argue sometimes. Hell, we still do. Some of them were pretty vicious, let me tell you. But at the end of the day, we both know how much we mean to each other," Harry put a hand on Percy's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

"And if Annabeth's anything like my Hermione, then you should know she's probably replaying whatever happened countless times in her head and beating herself up for whatever she did."

Percy looked down at his hands, mulling over what the older man just told him. He was quiet for a while, but the entire time, Harry patiently sat by his side giving him all the time he needed.

"I was really hurt by what she said to me," Percy finally said. "I never expected her of all people to call me a… mudblood."

Percy heard a sharp intake of breath. Harry ran a hand through his hair before releasing a heavy sigh. "I hate that word."

Percy nodded in agreement, a dejected look on his face. "I… I don't know what to think anymore…"

"Percy," the boy in question looked up at his Professor. They held each other's gaze, their green eyes swirling with emotion. "My mum and my wife were muggleborn, and they also faced what you're going through right now. Unfortunately, my mum died when I was really young, but I saw firsthand how prejudiced purebloods were to Hermione, so I can sort of grasp at what you're feeling right now.

"But she didn't let any of that stop her. There are a lot of things I can't tell you about, but what I can say is that she's a fighter. She persevered through all of that; she poured her blood, sweat, and tears into everything she did. And now she's the head of the DMLE."

"Head of the DMLE, wow…" Percy breathed out, impressed.

Harry nodded vigorously, a proud smile on his face. His eyes twinkled as he continued to talk about his wife causing Percy to smile himself. A blind man could see how much Harry loved her.

"She's saved me more times than I count. I wouldn't be standing here today if it weren't for her. She's… she's my hero."

Percy took in Harry's words with a heavy heart. This woman sounded amazing, and if she could accomplish all of this given the same circumstances as him, then there's no reason he should feel like he's deserving of any less. Despite his feelings, a small smile found its way onto his face. Harry and his wife had such a great relationship from the sound of it.

"I won't tell you to forgive Annabeth, Percy. That's completely up to you. I haven't truly forgiven anyone who called Hermione that word either." Harry had a faraway look in his eyes before they narrowed, his anger momentarily visible. "I just wanted to tell you about what Hermione and I've been through."

"Thank you, Profe—Harry," Percy had a genuine smile on his face. He didn't know why but it felt so easy to talk to his man.

"No worries. I hope I was able to provide some insight," Harry got up and made his way over to the door with Percy following a few steps behind.

"And if you ever need any tips on dueling or whatever, drop by or send me an owl," Harry patted his shoulder once and smiled down at him. "I'd be happy to help."

"How about we duel right now?" Percy challenged with a smirk on his face.

"You think you're up for it?" Harry shot back, mirroring his student's expression.

Their eyes pulsed with excitement as they stared at each other.

◆ ◆ ◆

Mid-year exams snuck up on them.

Every student occupied some corner of the school, studying, cramming, but most of all stressing. Their professor had not gone easy on them with the workload, piling on more and more as exam week approached.

Percy walked into the library looking for a spot to study at and cursed under his breath. Annabeth was sitting at a table, looking up at him from her book. He looked at her for a few seconds, his expression unreadable, before turning around, motioning to walk away when he heard, "Percy!"

He stopped but didn't turn around, remaining silent.

"Percy..." she sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "Please look at me...please..."

He closed his eyes momentarily before sighing and turning around. His eyes found hers and he felt his heart ache. Those beautiful gray eyes were rimmed with red, lined with a fresh batch of tears. The skin around them was rubbed raw and she had dark bags under her eyes.

"You can't ignore me forever, Percy!" She practically screamed at him, her voice cracking.

"I can try," he responded, causing Annabeth to reel.

His tone was dull and held no emotion. It was like a slap in the face for Annabeth. She would've preferred if he screamed or ranted, but this apathy… it hurt so much more.

"Percy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did. I don't know what else to—"

"Annabeth, all my life I've been ridiculed and made fun of. Finding Hogwarts was literally a fantasy. I was so happy here despite the Purebloods who looked down on me for something out of my control."

Annabeth chewed on her lip nervously, afraid of what he was going to say next.

"But you know what made all of that bearable?" He looked into her eyes and held her gaze for a few moments with an indecipherable expression. " _You_ , Annabeth. Just… _talking_ to you every day made everything else irrelevant. You were my best friend."

"Percy," she began, her voice shaky. Her heart was beating at an alarming rate as she tried to process everything he said. "I'm still your best friend. I don't know what came over me that day. I was so angry at—"

"Don't you see Annabeth?" He asked softly. "That's exactly the problem. If something is bothering you, then we work it out. Those were your words."

She wanted to cry. "Percy…"

He sighed and tiredly rubbed his eyes. "I'm sure you had a valid reason to be angry. But I never thought anything could make you act so… _pureblooded_. You always talked about how you hated blood status."

Annabeth's lips trembled. She wanted to say something, anything, but no words escaped her mouth. Percy shook his head and turned to walk away before he stopped and faced her again.

A genuine apologetic expression crossed his face. "I'm sorry about the duel. I got carried away and hurt you." With that, he turned and left.

Her hand shot up to cover her mouth and the tears burst forth, streaming down her face. Her lips trembled and she no longer tried to contain the violent sobs that wracked her body.

She'd never felt so alone.

◆ ◆ ◆

"Dementors are among the darkest, foulest creatures that walk this earth. If you get too near them, they will drain you of your peace, and hope, and happiness until you become something like itself—soulless and evil."

The students listened to Harry with rapt attention, hanging on to his every word. Their Professor displayed an image of the creature and the students stared at it with trepidation in their hearts.

They had a humanoid shape and were covered in dark hooded cloaks of long ripped black cloth that resembled wraiths. A closer image of its face made the students recoil. It had empty eye sockets, covered with scabbed skin. And there was a gaping large hole where its mouth should be.

Harry pointed at its mouth. "A Dementor will suck the soul out of its victim in a process referred to as the 'Dementor's Kiss.' This is one of the worst fates that one can suffer. If one should experience this… they will be left with nothing but the worst experiences of their lives—a hollow shell of their former selves."

He shut off the projection and took in his student's fearful expressions before gracing them with a warm smile.

"But fear not. I will be teaching you one of the only certain defenses that you can use against a Dementor. It's called the Patronus Charm."

"There's nothing about this charm on the syllabus, Professor," one student spoke up.

A collective groan went around the classroom. There was always that one student in every class.

"Settle down guys," Harry said, suppressing a chuckle himself. "That's because this isn't something that's conventionally taught. God knows why, it's not like you're going to be fighting Dementors or dark wizards with a slug-vomiting curse."

The sixth years laughed uproariously. They learned that with the right kind of teacher, school was actually fun. Despite the fact that they were literally learning magic.

"The spell I'm going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic—way beyond your OWLs. When it works, it conjures a Patronus, which is kind of like a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor. The strength of it depends entirely on you; you have to be concentrating on a single, very happy memory.

"I won't bore you with the theory behind it. You can read up on that yourself if you're curious. I think the best way to learn is by doing so who's up for a demonstration?" Harry asked, spreading his hands questioningly.

Some of the students banged their desks and eagerly nodded, yelling out their approvals. Harry laughed and rolled his sleeves up before producing his wand.

"Now the incantation is, ' _Expecto Patronum_.'"

" _Expecto Patronum, Expecto Patronum,_ " the class repeated.

"Very good," Harry said before clearing his throat and pointing his wand upward. " _Expecto Patronum!_ "

The class watched in awe as a huge, dazzling silver shadow came bursting out of the end of their Professor's wand. A round of gasps went around the room when the light transformed into a silver stag that cantered around the classroom. It galloped toward Harry and stopped in front of him, bowing its head. The students' amazement lasted well after the animal dissolved into silver mist.

Harry clapped to turn their attention back to him. "Now, it's your turn. Spread around and have at it."

◆ ◆ ◆

The class had been practicing their Patronuses for the better part of a month. Harry looked around, swelling with pride for his students seeing how far they had come. He was reminded of his fifth year in the D.A. when he became an impromptu teacher for his fellow classmates. All of that seemed like it happened a lifetime ago.

He smiled as he watched most of the students shoot small wisps of silver vapor out of the end of their wands. Some students had gotten it within a few days and took immense joy watching their silver animals soar around the room.

When class was over and everyone else had vacated the room, Annabeth stayed behind. She was frustrated. Nearly everyone had managed to produce a Patronus already, whether it be corporeal or not, but she was in the minority who still weren't able to produce more than a single puff of silver.

It aggravated her tremendously. Professor Potter had told her that she might have a problem with the memory she chose. But he was wrong. Her memory was undoubtedly the strongest, happiest one she had. Nothing else in her life could compare. Shaking her head, she stayed and practiced for a few more moments but to no avail.

She sighed, feeling defeated, and packed up her books, shoving them aggressively into her bag. As she moved to exit the room, a familiar figure came barging in. Annabeth stood frozen and swallowed, realizing that it was Percy. They were at an awkward standstill staring at each other.

Percy cleared his throat and picked up a piece of parchment which he came back for. For a moment, he stood at that spot, contemplating something, before turning to leave. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell that Annabeth was watching his movements carefully. They hadn't been alone in a room together since their last fight in the library.

Percy sighed, knowing he might regret this. "You're still struggling with your Patronus?"

His voice shot through her like lightning. Annabeth's head snapped up and she stared dumbly at him, unable to fully comprehend that he was talking to her.

"Yeah…" she answered hesitantly. It pained her to think about how mere conversation felt foreign to them now. "I can't seem to produce one. I've tried everything in the books and I know my memory is the right one…"

Percy watched her and fought the upturn of his lips as she went through the familiar frustrated gestures she'd do when struggling with something. He became lost in thought as he listened to her talk. He began to think of the memory he used for his own Patronus.

Annabeth's eyes, her smile, the golden glow of her hair, the trickle of her laughter; it all flashed through his mind. They were sitting together in the Gryffindor common room talking about who knows what, but they were happy. They were snorting with laughter, no doubt bothering the nearby students. It wasn't a particularly strong memory, but it felt powerful to him.

Annabeth was his first real friend and connection to the wizarding world, and he would always cherish that. As much as he told himself that it's irrational to hold onto these thoughts, the memory was too deeply rooted.

The repeated call of his name brought him back to reality. "Huh?"

"I was asking if you would mind telling me about your memory?"

Percy's mouth became dry and he remained silent for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.

"It's all right, Seaweed Brain. You don't have to tell me," she laughed it off nonchalantly, but then a hand flew up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him, realizing what she called him.

Percy swallowed and felt like he should say something. But what came out of his mouth surprised even him.

"Do you want to practice conjuring your Patronus for a little while? We still have some time before dinner…" he trailed off, unsure.

He saw her mouth fall open slightly and was prepared to backtrack his statement, but she spoke before him. "I'd like that. Please."

Percy nodded curtly, folding the parchment he came back for and sliding it into his pocket. He pulled out his wand and scratched his head with it thoughtfully. Unbeknownst to him, Annabeth was watching his motions with a veiled smile. Percy was certainly different from before, but some things never changed.

"Well, I like to start by…"

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth slumped down to the ground, panting as sweat dripped down her face. Her hands were shaking from exertion. Percy watched her knees wobble when she tried to get back up but was unable to do so.

"Let's call it a day, Annabeth," Percy said. "We can try again later."

As much as the thought of hanging out with Percy again excited her, she was determined to get this stupid charm down.

"One more time," she panted out, causing Percy to sigh. He knew there was no convincing her otherwise.

Annabeth grabbed onto a nearby table and pulled herself up. She steadied herself before faltering. She needed a few more moments to regain her composure.

"Percy," she called. His eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Could you… would you mind conjuring your Patronus?"

He had a questioning look on his face but acquiesced. " _Expecto Patronum!"_

Percy's voice echoed through the empty room. A silver pegasus erupted from the end of his wand and galloped around the room, proudly flapping its mighty wings before fading into thin air. Annabeth watched, amazed at the majestic creature that radiated power and beauty. Percy turned back around and chuckled at the mesmerized look on her face.

"I call him Blackjack," he confessed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Who?"

"My Patronus."

The corners of Annabeth's lips twitched before she burst into full blown laughter. Of course, Percy of all people would name his Patronus. Percy, however, did not find this as funny, because he was standing there glaring at her.

"Sorry, sorry," she choked out, before falling into another fit of giggles.

"It's really not that funny," Percy muttered, twirling his wand.

"Okay, I'm good. I'm calm. Promise."

"Okay…" Percy said, glaring at her doubtfully, causing her to raise her hands in surrender. "You said your memory is for sure the only one that can work?"

She nodded once. "I'm sure."

"All right, then I want you to close your eyes and picture the memory."

She did as she was told and closed her eyes, reliving her memory.

It was of her and Percy. They were in the Gryffindor common room on a Saturday afternoon, putting off their homework until the last minute as usual. Percy made some stupid joke that she couldn't remember, but at the time both of them had burst into laughter. They rocked back and forth, nearly falling out of their chairs as tears blurred their vision. She heard the muffled voice of someone telling them to shut up or how a Slytherin shouldn't be here, though she couldn't care less. Percy was the only thing that mattered to her.

Although it was a regular occurrence, that particular instance called out to her. She couldn't explain why. She and Percy had been in that exact scenario countless times before. Perhaps it was the familiarity of it all that resonated with her. She wanted so desperately for things to return to how they were. It was her greatest desire.

"Is it clear?" He asked.

"Y-yes…" she said. A gentle smile crossed her features as she became increasingly submerged in the memory. Though, it felt more like a dream at this point.

Percy watched her with careful eyes. His gaze flickered down to her lips, noticing her smile, and he knew that it was going well. _She'll get it this time_ , he thought, confidently.

"Does this memory make you feel happy? The happiest you've ever felt? The most hopeful?" He pressed.

Annabeth nodded vigorously making Percy smile slightly.

"Imagine that feeling, but it's amplified. Let it course through you," he urged. Percy was now standing right next to Annabeth, speaking in a low tone, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought. "Let your magic be fueled by that memory. Be its guide."

Annabeth, however, began to feel nervous with him so close to her. They hadn't been in such proximity with each other in what felt like forever. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she tried to follow his directions.

"I'm trying, Percy…" she whispered.

"I know you are. You can do this," he told her softly, reassuringly. "This memory is the most important thing to you, right?"

"Yes," she said firmly.

"Then think about how nothing is more important than preserving that feeling, that memory," Percy was now holding onto her hand, providing support. Annabeth let out a silent gasp at the touch. "Make it permanent."

That did it. Percy knew he hit the right nerves saying that word. It was Annabeth's dream: to make something permanent. He felt her squeeze his hand before drawing a deep breath. It was as if Percy's presence, his support, just him in his entirety cleared up a block in Annabeth's mind.

" _Expecto Patronum!_ "

At first, nothing happened but then a bright silver light exploded from the tip of her wand and took the shape of a corporeal barn owl. It spread its elegant wings and took flight around the room, exuding grace with each of its movements. Percy laughed a little when he heard Annabeth gasp in disbelief as she watched it fly around the room.

They watched as the bird flew in front of the window where the moonlight was pouring in. The owl seemed to glow even brighter before it started to lose its shape and faded from sight.

Percy kept staring at that spot when a sudden weight fell against him. Annabeth collapsed to the ground when the exertion finally got to her. Percy quickly dropped to the floor and gathered Annabeth in his arms, staring down at her with concern.

"I did it, Percy…" Annabeth whispered, staring up at him with half-lidded eyes and a smile on her face.

"You did it," he repeated, mirroring her smile.

"Th… thank you… " she managed to get out before darkness took over her vision.

She was grateful that the last thing she saw was Percy smiling at her. How long had it been since he'd looked at her like that?

◆ ◆ ◆

The early morning sunlight filtered in through the windows and gave way to the first rays of the new day. Though, its empyrean beauty was not always appreciated, especially when it disrupts one's slumber.

Annabeth's eyes twitched before her hand came up to shield her eyes, allowing her to open them slightly. She groaned and rolled over to the side but quickly came to her senses when she nearly fell off the bed. She sat bolt upright and glanced around frantically when a soothing voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Easy, dear. You're safe."

Annabeth's head snapped to the source of the voice and she immediately relaxed. "Hello, Madam Hestia. How am I in the infirmary?"

Hestia laughed a little. "Don't you remember?" Annabeth shook her head no, confused. "Percy carried you in here last night after you passed out from using too much magic."

A rosy blush blossomed on her cheeks when it all came back to her. "W-what?"

"Such a sweet boy," Hestia continued. "He stayed here all night even though I repeatedly told him you'd be fine. I had to force him to leave only a few minutes earlier so he wouldn't miss his first class."

Annabeth looked down at her lap at a loss for words. A warmth spread through her body at the thought of Percy looking after her. Her blush returned when she remembered that he stayed here all night. _Oh god, I hope I wasn't snoring,_ she thought, horrified.

"You seem surprised," Hestia noted. "I thought the two of you were best friends."

"We were but…" her eyes became downcast and she could feel her throat close up. "We had a falling out last year. He hates me and it's all my fault."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Annabeth was about to shake her head in the negative when a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Hestia smiling at her, her warm brown eyes filled with kindness.

"I can see this is really affecting you. And it's not good to keep things bottled up for this long. I'm here to help you, I promise," Hestia's compassion was unlike anything else.

Annabeth felt the fight leave her. Her shoulders sagged, and she drew her knees close to her chest. She found herself spilling everything from the moment she and Percy had become friends to the events of the night prior. Hestia had listened patiently, keeping a neutral expression and nodding at all the right times.

When Annabeth finished, Hestia remained silent and observed the girl's expressions. She was miserable. All of this must've been eating at her for the better part of a year.

"Annabeth, I won't lie to you. What you said was wrong," Annabeth's eyes fell to her lap, crestfallen. "I remember you were one of the students who despised blood status and how it demeaned Muggleborns and even Half-bloods sometimes."

If possible, Annabeth became even more disheartened having that fact thrown back at her. Percy had said the same thing. _I'm such a hypocrite,_ she berated herself.

"But…" Hestia continued, smiling softly at her. "It does sound like you're sorry. You are sorry, aren't you?"

Annabeth's head snapped up and she urgently nodded multiple times. "More sorry than anything."

"Good. Percy is kind; he might not seem like it right now—"

Annabeth shook her head, a melancholic smile on her face. "No, he's still very kind. I passed out last night because I overexerted myself attempting the Patronus Charm. He's the one who helped me when he could've left."

"Really?" Hestia wondered, smiling to herself a little.

"Yes," Annabeth smiled at her left hand, opening and closing her fist. Percy was holding her hand last night, she remembered. "He could've left when he saw me but he stayed—he stayed and helped me just like before…"

"It sounds like he's starting to forgive you," Hestia told her. The blonde's head tilted to the side but the protest died on her lips with one look from the matron. "He's starting to let you back in; last night should be an indication of that. Don't give up, Annabeth. He'll come around."

Annabeth fell silent. There was a thoughtful look in her eyes as she digested Hestia's words. _Can Percy and I really become friends again?_ The question sat in her mind like a giant anchor.

"I'm excusing you from classes today. So rest up and _no magic_ , young lady," Hestia ordered, sternly. Annabeth nodded her assent swiftly making the matron smile before she left the room.

A moment later, she came back with a slight spring in her step. "Sorry, I forgot to give you this. Percy left it for you."

Annabeth eagerly took the piece of parchment and thanked her. Hestia smiled at her once more and left. She hesitated slightly before unfolding the parchment and nearly dropped it when she read its contents.

> _You wanted to know what memory I use for my Patronus? Well..._

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth learned what hope was again. And that hope had developed into determination. She walked down the empty corridors with tenacity behind each step as she made her way to her dorm. Thankfully, everyone was in class; she didn't want to deal with any burning questions right now.

For her plan to work, she was going to need some help. Thankfully, help would always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.

"Stonks!"

A pop sounded from beside her and she turned to see just who she was looking for. Stonks was a House Elf that she and Percy had befriended back in their second year. She smiled at the wrinkly creature and told him that she needed his help but didn't expect his response.

He made a small sound from anxiousness. "Stonks doesn't know if he should help. Annabeth Chase hurt Percy Jackson. Percy Jackson is very kind."

Annabeth swallowed her guilt, momentarily closing her eyes, and tried for a smile. "I'm trying to apologize to Percy, Stonks. I need your help to do that."

Stonks looked conflicted, his bat-like ears folded down and he rubbed his hands together nervously. His bulging blue eyes flitted around as he tried to make a decision.

"Stonks will help," he finally said. He then raised a long, threatening finger. "But Annabeth Chase can never hurt Percy Jackson again."

Annabeth found his terms very agreeable and shook his hand. "Okay, here's what I need you to do…"

◆ ◆ ◆

With a letter firmly grasped in her hand, Annabeth made her way up through the silent castle and arrived at the Owlery, which was located at the top of the West Tower. She walked into the circular stone room and rubbed at her arms; it was rather cold and drafty up here since none of the windows had glass covering them.

The room reeked of owl droppings and regurgitated mice. This was to be expected with the hundreds upon hundreds of owls of every imaginable breed nestled here on perches up the length of the tower. She had loaned her owl, Dawn, to a first year who didn't have one yet so she went up to her other familiar, Kendrick.

Kendrick was Percy's owl, a beautiful black and gray eagle owl. A melancholic smile graced her face when she remembered how elated Percy was when she gifted Kendrick to him for his birthday two years ago.

It took her awhile to persuade him to wake up and fly down to her but like his owner, Kendrick loved food. When she held out the treat to him, Kendrick angrily nipped her finger, ignoring the treat entirely.

"Ouch!" Annabeth yelped, snatching her hand back to her chest. She glared at the bird but it stared back at her with those eerie orange eyes, clicking his beak angrily. "Okay, I deserved that," she admitted.

With some prying and a promise of treats, she got him to agree to deliver a letter. He allowed her to tie the letter to his leg.

"Get it to him tomorrow during breakfast, okay?"

Kendrick hooted indignantly as if insulted that she would have to repeat her instruction. A small smile graced her lips; Percy and his owl were weirdly similar. She stroked his back a few times before he ruffled his wings and flew back to his perch.

◆ ◆ ◆

Annabeth nervously stood in a clearing out in the forest where they had their last picnic with Grover and Juniper. Those moments seemed like they were so long ago when in reality it hadn't even been two years. There was a beautiful view of the lake from here; she could almost see their past selves laughing and splashing each other in the middle of the water.

The sound of leaves rustling alerted her of another's presence. She took a deep breath before turning around and facing them.

"I got your letter," Percy said softly, holding up the offending piece of parchment.

She nodded but stayed silent, trying to find the words. She had this whole situation planned out and rehearsed; she's even written a script of possible things Percy would say but all of that seemed to have vacated her mind.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Uh, you okay?"

"Yes! I mean, yes, I'm fine—I'm just—okay, look," she took another deep breath and hoped she'd be able to properly speak now. "I called you here because I wanted us to talk…"

Percy rubbed the corners of his mouth, thinking. "Okay, let's talk."

Annabeth puffed out a disbelieving breath. "Okay," she breathed. "Um—how have you been?"

"Annabeth, come on, let's just get to it."

"Thank you," she laughed a little, shaking her head. "I had this whole spiel I wanted to get out but—fuck—I just—just listen, okay?"

Percy stayed silent but nodded, remaining patient with her. He took a seat at the foot of a tree, leaning back against it, and motioned for her to do the same. So she did.

"Percy, I am so sorry for what I said to you last year. I know that words can't really make any of that better but I just need to say it," she paused for a moment. "Percy, you're my best friend. You mean more to me than anything—I never thought I'd say that about a person, but it's true. At night, I can still see your pained expression—it literally eats me alive, and sometimes I can't stop crying because I broke your trust, your faith in me.

"I will regret that forever. You're the kindest person I've ever met and I destroyed _everything_!" Her eyes began to water but she brushed at them furiously with the heels of her hands. "Earlier that day I got this letter—and my mother was yelling at me and she said… it doesn't matter. What matters is—what matters is that I'm—"

Her words were lost upon her when she felt herself being tugged into a warm, comforting embrace. She went stiff as the subtle smell of salt overwhelmed her senses and she felt her strong arms encircle her waist, pulling her body close.

"Percy? I don't—"

"Shhh," he murmured, bringing a hand up and brushing it through her curls. "You've said enough."

His words made her slump against him, placing her chin on his shoulder and absorbing his warmth. She was sure her tears were staining his shirt, but right now she just wanted to enjoy this moment. There might not be a chance it would ever happen again. Percy's hand running through her hair felt like _magic_. But the feeling was gone far too quickly; she felt him bring his hands to her shoulders and pull back.

She stared at him, unsure of what he would say. His eyes were always far too expressive but right now she couldn't decipher in the emotions swirling in them.

"You know… I was really mad about the whole 'mudblood' comment for a long time, but then I got to thinking. Just because my parents aren't magical, that doesn't mean I'm automatically scum or whatever—"

"You're not! Far from it!" Annabeth pressed, vehemently.

Percy smiled a little, giving a short laugh, before becoming serious once more. "I think what hurt me the most was that I felt like I lost you—physically, emotionally, whatever," he said, softly. "You were this amazing person and it was like you were losing yourself—and becoming more like Drew or Octavian—and I just couldn't stand that."

Annabeth's lips trembled, her heart aching. "I'm so, so sorry, Percy. You could never lose me…"

She let out a choked gasp when she felt herself being pulled into another tight hug.

“Stop apologizing already, I forgive you.”

His words felt surreal. She had been living these last few months with a hollowness in her heart, never expecting it to be filled. But now she felt light. She felt like the proverbial rain cloud over her had dissipated. She felt whole.

Percy’s expression then turned solemn. “And I’m sorry too. Especially about the duel. I had no right to hurt you like that.”

An entirely new wave of sadness and guilt took over her. She clutched him tighter and her tears started anew.

“I deserved it—”

“No you didn’t,” he pressed. “I got carried away and hurt you, and I’m so, so sorry. And it’ll never happen again.”

“It’s all right,” she said with a choked laugh. “It only took a few minutes for Madam Hestia to heal me anyway.”

“Still. I never should have done that or acted how I did.”

“You know, even after what I said or how closed off you became, you still helped me and took care of me—when I didn’t deserve any of it," she said. Sniffling, she continued, "When we were friends it was always you that helped me while I never did anything for you."

Percy hugged her tighter, his eyes twinging with harbored emotion. "You did more for me than you could ever know. All those laughs over the years—they were all thanks to you. I don't make friends that easily but when that blonde little girl came running up to me in second year… you don't know how happy that made me. It was like my whole life changed from that moment on."

Annabeth gained a small smile on her lips as she recalled the memory. Her younger self was rather abrasive but she was grateful to her for practically forcing Percy to become friends with her. It was the best decision she had ever made. She buried her face further into Percy's neck, her tears soaking his neck and bits of his hair. They held each other in silence. Annabeth sighed when Percy's hand went into her hair, softly brushing through her messy curls.

"So… friends again?" She asked meekly.

"Of course."

She sighed, feeling content, when a thought struck her. "Oh! I almost forgot."

She untangled herself from Percy's arms and reached into her bag and pulled out a plastic container. She eagerly watched as Percy's eyes shifted back and forth from her face to the container.

A smile began to grow on his face. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yup!"

He took the container gingerly, staring at it with childlike innocence. Annabeth laughed freely as she watched him. She missed this—missed him.

"How did you get these?" Percy asked in amazement.

Annabeth smiled. "I had a little help from Stonks. Open it already!"

Percy carefully opened the container and the heavenly smell of freshly baked cookies filled the vicinity. But these were no ordinary cookies. They were his mother's signature _blue_ chocolate chip cookies. Percy's favorite.

"I haven't had these in so long," Percy moaned with a mouthful of the sugary treats.

"You didn't go home over winter break," she remembered. "Why?"

A sheepish expression crossed Percy's face and he scratched his cheek. "I didn't want you to be alone."

"Oh, Percy…"

Annabeth felt like crying all over again. She quickly threw her arms around him, burying her face in his neck and holding him tight. His arms automatically wrapped around her again and she knew they'd be okay.

◆ ◆ ◆

Percy and Annabeth had become inseparable once again. People would be hard pressed to find them away from each other once they left their dorms. In this particular instance, they were sitting down to have lunch together.

"You're joking," Percy said in disbelief.

"Nope, dead serious."

"Wow… I never thought that Michael Jackson could be a wizard."

"Yeah, he was a Hufflepuff. My dad told me about how he used sticking charms to do that one dance move."

"He must've been pretty powerful then—wandless magic and all."

"It's kind of a _thriller_ , isn't it?"

Percy burst into laughter. "Oh god, that was awful."

Annabeth grinned conspiringly when he reached over to pile more rice onto his plate. " _Don't stop 'til you get enough._ "

Percy snorted, shaking his head bemusedly. "Just _beat it_."

"Rude," Annabeth laughed, her eyes bright.

◆ ◆ ◆

Near the end of the term, Percy received a parcel.

It was about the size of a book and marked as an anonymous sender making Percy wary of its contents. He heard the clink of metal sound from inside when he shook it. Despite his burning curiosity, he waited until classes were over for the day so he could open it with Annabeth.

They found themselves back in the same clearing near the lake once again. The sun was setting far away over the mountains, painting the sky with soft hues of red and pink. It had become solely their spot just like it was before.

"Well, let's see it then," Annabeth encouraged.

Percy nodded and tore the wrapping, dumping the contents into his hand. Two letters fell out followed by a black chain made of thread. He set the letters aside and admired the silver pendant hanging from the chain. It looked to be handmade and was in the shape of a stretched hexagon with intricate markings tracing its edges and around the symbol in the middle. It was a trident, Percy realized.

Percy handed the necklace to Annabeth to look at and opened the first letter.

> _Perseus,_
> 
> _I hope you are well. I am an old friend of your father's. He left this letter and the necklace in my possession before his departure. It was time that they went to their rightful owner. Please read it when you are alone._
> 
> _I will not reveal who I am but know that I am very sorry. For more than just this._

"My father…" Percy breathed, wide eyed and in disbelief.

He read the letter once more to make sure he wasn't reading something wrong. After all this time, news of his father pops up? It didn't make any sense. And what was with that cryptic line at the end? He looked at the second letter warily, afraid of its contents. He knew next to nothing about the man and had given up trying to learn more ages ago, assuming he was dead. His mother never talked about him no matter how much he pried.

Percy's name was written on the envelope in a beautiful cursive scrawl. He ran his thumb lightly over the ink, trying to muster the courage to open it.

"Hey, do you want me to leave? The first letter did say to read it when you're alone," Annabeth said.

Percy shook his head, looking at her with glassy eyes. "Please stay. I want you here."

Annabeth smiled softly and squeezed his shoulder. She sat beside him and patiently waited for Percy to be ready. She couldn't imagine what he was going through. From what she knew, Percy's father had never been in the picture. It was always just him and Sally. She recalled a time when Percy wrote to her about how he had gotten angry with his mother because of his father. A feeling of anger bubbled inside her at the man for making Percy so distraught.

The sound of parchment crinkling alerted her of Percy opening the letter. And together they read it.

> _Dearest Perseus,_
> 
> _Let me begin by telling you that I am so sorry for not being there for you. That will forever be my greatest regret. I put you and your mother through so much pain and it haunts me daily. Sally is a queen among women and I'm sure you have her best traits._
> 
> _The greatest moment in my life was holding you for the first time when you were born. As I sit writing this letter, you're in your mother's arms laughing at the faces she's making at you. You are truly the most adorable child._
> 
> _Do you know why we named you Perseus? It was your mother's idea actually. Perseus was one of the few Greek heroes who had a happy ending and died a peaceful death. I was all for it. Did your mother tell you my name is Poseidon? Yes, I know what you're thinking. Sweet Merlin, I hated my name for so long. But both of us having Greek names made it a lot better._
> 
> _I'm sure you're curious as to where I've been for the entirety of your life. Or perhaps not. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me._
> 
> _Well, to answer that, I will be in Azkaban due to some unforeseen circumstances. I'm afraid I can't disclose too much information in regards to this but know that it was for the best. For you and for Sally._
> 
> _When you come of age, you will inherit my properties and gain access to my vaults at Gringotts, should you want them of course. If not, it will be donated to charities when I die. The decision rests solely upon you._
> 
> _Although I do not deserve the honour, I would like to tell you some things a father should tell his child—_
> 
> _Eat lots and grow strong, make sure you bathe every day and stay warm, make friends that you can trust, study well when you go to Hogwarts, be careful with money—saving is important. I don't have to worry about girls with you. With Sally as your role model, any girl would be lucky to be with you. Remember what I said about trust._
> 
> _I'm sure you'll face a lot of hardships in life, but I know you have the strength in you to persevere and overcome all of your obstacles. Be true to yourself and have the confidence to make your dreams come true. I know you'll become a great wizard someday and I hope that I will live long enough to see to that._
> 
> _I am the proudest and luckiest father to have a child like you. I love you, son. Even if you hate me, I will always love you._
> 
> _Dad_

Percy took a staggering breath as he read the letter over and over again. Tears flooded his vision and rolled down his cheeks like an unending stream. His father was alive and he loved him. And he didn't want to leave. His words reverberated around Percy's mind as he committed them to memory.

In awe, Percy let out a disbelieving laugh as shock and disbelief lined his face. He slumped backward and slid down against a tree. A strange feeling blossomed in his chest. He wondered if it was hope? Relief? Clarity? Maybe a mixture of all three?

He gingerly held the parchment up and cast a few preservation spells and protection charms on it. This was the last memento of his father. He would keep it safe no matter what.

Annabeth exhaled deeply, bewildered. If Percy's father was in Azkaban, that meant he was a wizard too. _So all this time…_ she thought, shaking her head. Her eyes snapped to her best friend who was now pacing back and forth mumbling to himself.

"But mum always said he was gone… She never said the word, 'dead,' which means she knew… Is he a criminal? I mean, he has to be if he's in Azkaban… Mum would never be with someone like that… Maybe he's not a criminal? But then why—"

" _Percy_!" Annabeth's shout interrupts his thoughts and he looks at her with wide eyes. "I've been calling your name forever."

"My dad is alive…" he muttered in disbelief, before adorning a wild but excited expression. "I have a _dad_ , Annabeth!"

Annabeth threw her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a tight embrace, trying to calm him down. She could feel his erratic heartbeat against her chest and she was sure he could feel hers, causing her to blush furiously at the intimacy of it all.

"I'm so happy for you, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth told him after pulling back, but kept her arms around him. She was looking up at Percy who had an unreadable expression on his face.

She held up the trident necklace. "Here let me put this on you."

"Okay," he breathed.

 _When did he become so much taller than me?_ Annabeth wondered as her arms went over his head. Both of them looked at the pendant now shining against Percy's chest and smiled. It was almost like it was made for him.

Percy then glanced up and noticed how close Annabeth was. His eyes flicked down to her parted pink lips before going back to her gleaming eyes. He's always loved those lustrous orbs that seemed to encapsulate the prowling clouds of a storm.

"Wise Girl," he whispered, inching closer to her.

He was looking at her with such tenderness and care. And the look of _longing_ in his beautiful green irises was unmistakable. There was almost no distance between them now as their chests were beginning to press against each other. She could feel his breath against her face, sending shivers down her spine.

It was enough for her to throw caution to the wind. Annabeth closed the remaining gap and tentatively pressed her lips to his.

At first, there was simply… nothing; no spark or feeling of weightlessness or even a tingling on her lips. She felt him stiffen and she almost pulled back but then Percy began to reciprocate. His lips pressed against hers more firmly and started to move. Slowly, they began to caress each other's lips, allowing the kiss to truly flourish.

Her arms went up to encircle his neck and pull him closer to her, digging one hand into his hair and gently massaging his scalp. She felt his hands trail up her hips and stop at her waist, softly massaging them.

Annabeth broke away momentarily and let out a breathy gasp. This was better than anything she had imagined or could have hoped for.

Percy quickly captured her lips once again and softly bit down on her lower lip causing her eyes to flutter shut and relish the sensation. The kiss deepened and she felt her heart swell more than it ever had before, nearly bursting. They began to open their mouths a bit more with each kiss. Annabeth took the initiative and slid her tongue into his mouth eliciting a groan of pleasure from Percy, sending shivers through her body. The deep, pleasant sound of it made her desire for him amplify tenfold.

Neither of them were in a sensible state of mind, unknowing of how long the kiss lasted but slowly, they began to pull back, leaving soft pecks, unwilling to separate. They panted heavily and pressed their foreheads together, keeping their eyes shut.

Percy took in a heavy, shuddering breath. For a moment, all is still, all is silent. And he felt amazing.

"I think," he started, whispering as if afraid he'd ruin the moment otherwise. "I think I have a new memory for my Patronus now."

Tears of joy welled up in Annabeth's eyes and the soft laughter that followed would forever echo through Percy's mind.

They didn't leave that clearing for quite a while.

◆ ◆ ◆

"Stop it, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth giggled, softly pushing him away. "Someone will hear."

"Let them," he breathed against her neck before renewing his assault.

Annabeth tossed her head back in surprise and released a deep long moan of pleasure. She tangled her fingers in his hair and she gently tugged on his roots, knowing he found it pleasurable. The deep sigh he released was proof enough.

His hands began to wander under her shirt and rub sensually along her waist making her heart beat faster with anticipation. Percy trailed his kisses up her neck and across her jaw to her before brushing his lips against hers. He felt her smile against his lips causing him to smile too.

Even after a month of dating, it all still felt surreal. And although neither of them were typically versed in relationships, they seemed to have the physical side of it down packed.

Percy slid his hands down from her waist to her ass and gave a playful squeeze. Annabeth giggled and playfully smacked his shoulder before letting out a surprised yelp when Percy picked her up. Annabeth instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and was pleasantly surprised when Percy pushed her against the wall, boxing her into him.

"When did you get so bold?" She whispered mischievously, gently biting his earlobe.

But her words fell short when he squeezed her ass again. "You have no idea what you do to me."

His words seemed to have ignited a fire in her. Percy was caught by surprise when she gently tugged his head back by his hair and softly brushed her lips against the base of his neck, ghosting up his throat. Percy released a low groan when she reached the sensitive spot but his eyes widened when he felt her lick the area before sucking on it.

" _Fuck_ Annabeth," he sighed out in pleasure.

"Not here," she whispered, teasing. She then brought her lips close to his ear. "You sure you're ready for that, though?"

"I think you can feel how _ready_ I am," he replied, huskily.

Annabeth's cheeks burned and if possible, became even redder. Percy capitalized on her moment of stillness and captured her lips in another heated kiss. He pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and she responded with a hushed moan. But then he went still and breathed out her name as Annabeth rolled her hips, grinding against him slowly.

She pulled back and brought her lips down to his neck making Percy sigh against her. Seeing him so raptured made Annabeth feel immense pride knowing she was the cause of all this. She began leaving open mouthed kisses around his jugular area with renewed vigor.

But the sound that escaped his lips when she tenderly bit down on the spot would be forever engraved in her mind. She made a mental note to do that more often before pulling back and capturing his lips.

She commanded the kiss, deepening it and turning his brain to mush. Percy sighed into her mouth and ceased having any coherent thoughts as he lost himself in ecstasy. It was a miracle their lips hadn't chafed or started bleeding from the sheer amount of friction, not to mention the biting.

When they pulled back, both of them were breathing heavily. Percy laid his head on her shoulder, his forehead pressing against the side of her neck, and took a moment to calm down. He felt Annabeth lay her head on top of his and smiled.

"You smell nice," he commented, randomly.

Annabeth shook her head and let out a breathy laugh, still feeling winded. "You smell pretty good, too."

Her body heat felt scorching against his skin but it was a welcomed burn. His lungs ached when she pulled him into another heated kiss. Her tongue lashed against his own as they fought for control. His chest was aflame but he wasn't ready to take a breath yet. Some things were more important.

But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The door to the broom cupboard slammed open causing the two teenagers to spring apart, both panting heavily. Their eyes were wide in shock as they looked at Professor Dionysus who stared back at them in disgust.

"Detention."

Later that evening, the two of them met in front of the Potions classroom and entered together. Dionysus had left a seemingly endless amount of dirty cauldrons for them to clean. Annabeth sighed and put on her gloves wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"You know, it's kind of a tradition to get caught in a broom cupboard, right?" Percy asked, smirking at her.

Annabeth rolled her eyes but the smile on her face was unmistakable. "Just clean your cauldron, Seaweed Brain."

It was dark and dinner was nearly over when the two had finished with detention. They would undoubtedly have blisters on their hands come the morning. And Annabeth was sure she'd be getting another heated letter from her mother but she couldn't bring herself to care too much.

Becoming friends with Percy again and their relationship blossoming into something so intimate and heartfelt made her feel light on her feet. She glanced down at their intertwined hands and smiled. These small moments were sometimes the most heartfelt.

Then, of course, the idiot had to go and ruin it.

"So that was one hell of a first date, huh?"

"That was a date?" Annabeth deadpanned, rolling her eyes, unamused.

"Uh, no—nope. Most definitely not a date. But… you, me, and a couple of butterbeers and Shepherd's pie down at the Three Broomsticks this weekend. That—that could be a date?"

Percy's cheeks were most definitely not flaming right now. And he certainly did not have the cheesiest smile on his face.

Annabeth was stunned. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before reaching up and tugging Percy down by the tie. Ignoring his yelp of surprise, she pulled him in for a sweet kiss, hoping he'd understand her unspoken emotions.

When she pulled back, a beautiful smile spread across her face and she lightly stroked his cheek.

"I could be down for that."

◆ ◆ ◆

Their sixth year had come to a close.

The platform was chaotic as usual as hundreds of students said their goodbyes and clamored to board the train. The Stolls could be seen slipping something inconspicuous into a few students' pockets, younger students were struggling against the masses, and teachers were helping kids with their trunks. All was well.

Near the end of the Hogwarts Express, Percy and Annabeth were boarding when Percy looked back and saw Harry standing in the middle of the platform smiling at them.

Annabeth looked back and saw Percy still standing at the entrance. "Coming Perce?"

"Gimme a sec," he told her before jogging toward the bespectacled man.

"Thought you were leaving without saying goodbye, did you?" Harry smiled, repeating the words that had once been said to him.

A smile spread across Percy's face and he hugged the older man, surprising Harry immensely. But it was certainly welcomed. The older man returned the gesture and pulled back after a few moments.

"Thank you, Harry. For everything."

"It was my pleasure. I see you've worked things out with Annabeth. Quite well, in fact," he noted, smirking down at Percy causing him to smile sheepishly and rub the back of his head.

"Ah-ha… yeah," Percy said, embarrassed. "Will you be teaching next year too?"

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. "We'll see, I guess. If Professor Chiron isn't back, then I might. But being an Auror requires me to do a lot more paperwork than you might think."

Percy slowly nodded, forgetting who exactly he was talking to for a moment.

"You should get going, Percy. The train's already moving," Harry grinned, nodding towards the locomotive.

"Oh!" Percy exclaimed and started walking backward. He hopped onto the train and grabbed onto the pole before turning back around and waving at the man. "Bye Harry!"

"Take care, Percy! We'll meet again!"

Percy kept waving until Harry was little more than a speck in the distance. Turning around, he walked through the aisles until he found the compartment where Annabeth was sitting. He felt a rush of happiness seeing that same soft smile she'd wear when staring at the castle at the end of every year. He missed it last year.

"I didn't know you were that close with Professor Potter," she commented after he sat down across from her.

"Yeah, he's pretty great."

They sat in comfortable silence, staring out the window, watching as the castle soon vanished from sight, signaling that the train had exited Hogwarts' wards. The collective melancholic sigh from all the students was almost palpable.

"So what's next for us?" Annabeth asked.

Percy was silent for a while, his green eyes contemplative. He clutched the silver pendant hanging from his neck, mulling over his thoughts.

"I was thinking about paying a visit to Azkaban this summer. You with me?"

Annabeth switched positions so she was sitting next to him and laced her fingers through his. She raised their clasped hands and placed a soft, lingering kiss to the back of his knuckles.

"Always."

**Author's Note:**

> This was the most fun I've ever had writing so I hope anyone reading this enjoyed it. I might expand on this at some point but I’m also fine with leaving it as a one shot. PJO was my first love quickly followed by HP so I wanted to bring them together with the two best pairings :)
> 
> If y’all are interested in talking about fics, writing, art, or anything really, this is an invite link to a Discord Server for [Percabeth](https://discord.gg/u7hAg4D). (If the hyperlink doesn’t work, here’s the caveman version of it: https://discord.gg/u7hAg4D) 
> 
> It’s a very wholesome community for PJO/Percabeth fans so feel free to join. You’ll be sure to feel at home. 
> 
> Happy holidays!
> 
> -KingOfTheFall


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